The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-06-20

J. H. Wodehouse, Sir Alfred Sherlock
Gooch, Bart, Mr.. Justice BickertOn, Major
the Hon. Samuel Parker and Major A. B.
Hayley. Equerries in Waiting; Major J.
D. Holt, Camp to the Commander
in-Chief; Major H. F. Bertlemann of the
Governors Staff, and large number of
our prominent citizens.
THE MUSIC.
The surpliced choir of boys and men,
with the second congregation choir of
ladies and gentlemen, all under the direc-
ton of the Choirlnaster, Mr.. ThOs. Ram
Walker, rendered the music on this occa-
sion with telling effect. Mr.. Wray Taylor,
the Cathedral organist, presided at
the organ. The proper and special psalms
were sung to well selected Anglican
chants. The TIE Deum and Jubilate Dec
were by Tours in F, and the anthem, Let
every soul be subject unto the higher
powers" was composed specially for the
Queens Jubilee by DR.. John Stainer, or
ganist of st. Paul's Cathedral, London.
1t is very effective composition, and was
finely sung by the choir. The soprano re-
citative, "Open me the gates" was sung
with taste by Miss Bertha Won Holt. The
unison passages for mems voices were ad-
mirably given. The hymn, "God of our
Fatherland." written by the Bishop of Ex-
eter, was sung to the music of the national
anthem, the congregation joining in with
much spirit. The other hymn was " God
of Supreme Dominion" written by S. J.
Stone.
THE SERVICE AND LESSONS.
The Rev. Alexander Macintosh intoned
the service throughout, and the Rev. Geo.
Wallace read the first and second special
lessons.
THE SERMON.
The sermon, a very able one, was
preached by the Bishop of Honolulu from
the text, by Me Kings Reign" Proverbs,
VIII, 18th verse.
His Lordship said:
The observance of the completion of so
years as an epoch IN nations life has its
origin in the system of the Jewish theoc-
racy. AS every seventh year was Sab
batical year, asyear of rest for the land, SO
after week OF these years, or seven times
seven years, a year of general release was
ordered to be kept, which terminated that
period of the national existence, no sales
of land, leases or contracts being allowed
to be made extending beyond the year of
jubilee. All land that had been sold dur
ing the previous 80 years then reverted to
its original owners property in walled
towns excepted), and thus each tribe pre-
served its own inheritance in the land.
Now, if the keeping of the present jubi-
lee appears to you to have nothing in COM
mon put the name with the jubilee of
Israel, l would have you notice that apart
from the special purposes of its observance
the keeping of the year of jubilee re-
garded generally was an acknowledgment
of Gods Sovereignty; that the land was
His, not theirs, and that all that they en-
joyed they enjoyed through His bounty
and mercy. Such an acknowledgment is
implied in the keeping of every jubilee.
When the observance of the completion of
any period of so years is to be celebrated
such celebration calls upon US to pause, to
review the past, to see what God has
wrought, to pour forth our praises and
thanksgiving for the blessings vouchsafed
TO US, and to seek for their continuance IN
the future.
This should be the spirit in which we keep
the present jubilee. Here in the middle of
the Pacific Ocean, outside of the British
Empire, have we joined our praises and
thanksgiving with those which will ascend
from the four quarters of the globe, be-
cause for so years God has permitted to
sit upon the throne of England and rule
the destinies of the British Empire one
whose reign has been illustrious above all
J., he
sion of the colonies and dependencies of
the Empire, illustrious in the progress that
has been made in every department of
human knowledge and invention, in the
advancement that has been achieved in
unlocking the secrets of nature, and
making them subservient to the benefit CT
mankind, illustrious above all in the un-
blemished character of the Sovereign sus-
tanned through the long continuance of
her reign, which has made the name of
Queen Victoria honored and beloved not
only by the millions of her subjects, but
throughout the whole civilized world
On such an occasion as there pass in re-
view before our minds the achievements,
the progress, the advancement of the last
half-century, the development of COM
merce, the increase of wealth, there is need
to be reminded of the warning that Moses
addressed to the children of Israel in an
ticipation of the time when they would cx-
change the simple nomad life of the wilder
ness for the wealth and luxury of civilized
life under their Kings. Beware lest thou
say in thine heart: My power and the
might of mine band hath gotten me this
wealth. But thou shall remember the
Lord thy God, for He it is who giveth
the power to get wealth. And to-day
when we offer our praises and thanksgiv-
ings for the abundant mercies, gifts and
blessings that have rendered the reign of
our Queen illustrious, it is our wisdom to
endeavor to discover the secret of the
blessing which has so manifestly been
poured upon her throne.
In the passage have taken for the text
we may find a clue to the blessedness.
by Ne Kings reign" The speaker in
this passage is wisdom, and this wisdom is
clearly Divine person. In the voice of
wisdom we hear the voice of God Himself
declaring that the crowns OF Kings are